British entrepreneur Ellis Ware first came across Proto Labs when looking for local engineering companies, having been contacted to be a contestant on the BBC show, Robot Wars. He needed high specification parts, with very little lead time, as he began to create Pulsar, a 110kg fighting robot.
With his designs at a progressed stage, Ellis needed support to make his plans a reality and the Proto Labs team stepped in to offer their support. To create Pulsar, Proto Labs CNC machined a series of components, including the wheel bearing holders and weapon motor mount bulkhead, both integral elements of the robot’s form and function. Three-axis machining of two grades of aerospace aluminium were used to give Ellis the properties he needed – Ali 6082-T6 and Ali 7075-T6.
Less than three days after Ellis’s original order, he collected his parts, bolted them into the machine and headed to Glasgow for filming. With several elements left to complete on the robot upon arrival, it was a race against time to be ready. After considerable effort, Pulsar was finally complete at 3.30am on the first day of filming and ready to meet its competitors.
Ellis said: “Timing was crucial for me, I only had a few days to go from my designs to needing the high-specification parts in my hand and heading up the motorway for filming. It was a very emotional process, with so many cliff-hangers, but I thoroughly enjoyed it, it was amazing.
“Proto Labs really supported me throughout and I was so pleased to get to the arena with Pulsar to compete with my dream. I’m hoping to ride the wave after Robot Wars, and work with Proto Labs in my own business and maybe even in series two.”
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